Grape plant named &#39;Arrafifteen&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new distinct variety of grapevine named ARRAFIFTEEN abundantly forms attractive large seedless berries having a bright green skin coloration in medium-to-large clusters. The fruit displays a sweet crisp flavor and is firm in texture. The fruit commonly is ready for harvesting during August in San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A, and displays good eating qualities as a table grape. The fruit firmness renders the fruit well amenable for handling, shipping, and storage.

CLASSIFICATION

The present invention relates to a new Vitis vinifera Grapevine.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Grapevine has the varietal denomination ‘ARRAFIFTEEN’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A breeding program was initiated during the late 90's near Bakersfieldin San Joaquin Valley of Central California. In 2000, during thisbreeding program, a new variety of Vitis vinifera was created bydeliberate cross breeding of two parent plants by emasculation of thepollen bearing organ of the male and introducing pollen from anothermale origin. The female parent of the new variety was GAW5 which is awhite, elongated, very crisp seedless grape variety (non-patented in theUnited States). The male parent (i.e. the pollen parent) of the newvariety was GZW4 which is ellipsoid shaped, dark green grape varietywith a average sugar content (non-patented in the United States).

Comparison between ARRAFIFTEEN and the Male Parent Thompson Seedless

ARRAFIFTEEN Thompson Seedless Pruning Spur pruning Cane pruning Leafcolor top: 144-A Top side: Green 137 A bottom: 146-B Bottom side: 137 CBerry shape Obloid Cylindrical

The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

GAW5×GZW4.

An artificial pollination was created, and the result was an embryowhich possessed unique genetic qualities. The rudiments resulting fromthe above pollination were embryo rescued.

An artificial pollination was created, and the result was an embryowhich possessed unique genetic qualities. The rudiments resulting fromthe above pollination were embryo rescued.

In 2001 the plant was then transplanted to Bakersfield in San JoaquinValley of Central California.

It was found that the new grapevine of the present invention possessesthe following combination of characteristics:

(a) Forms attractive medium-to-large seedless berries having brightgreen skin coloration in medium-to-large clusters which display a highlyacidic flavor and is high in sugar content,

(b) Commonly bears fruit during the month of August in the San JoaquinValley of Central California, U.S.A., and

(c) Bears fruit that is firm and is well amenable for storage, handling,and shipping.

The new variety during observation to date has displayed no visibledisease, and has displayed an ability to well resist cold, drought,heat; but sensitive to direct exposure to sun and wind. The fruit of thenew variety has been found to display excellent handling and shippingqualities combined with desirable dessert eating qualities.

The new variety of the present invention has been found to undergoasexual propagation beginning in 2004 near Bakersfield in the SanJoaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A. by grafting on mature‘Thompson Seedless’ rootstock (non-patented in the United States). Suchasexual propagation has been conducted thereafter in successive yearsthrough 2007, and has shown that the characteristics of the new varietyare strictly transmissible from one generation to another. Accordingly,the new variety undergoes asexual propagation in a true to type manner.The age of the plant shown in the drawing is five years old and thevariety was created in 2000.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The new variety ARRAFIFTEEN is a hard, juicy, bright green seedlesstable grape with large production, e.g., about 40 to 50 bunches pervine, and an average of about one to two bunches per shoot.

Asexual reproduction by micro propagation of the new variety asperformed near Bakersfield, Calif., U.S.A., at Arvin, Calif. Ranch 33which shows that the forgoing and other distinguishing characteristicscome true to form and are established and transmitted through succeedingpropagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photographic illustration shows typical specimens ofvegetative growth of five year old specimens of the new variety, incolor as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make in a colorillustration of this character. Colors in the photograph may differ fromthe color values cited in the detailed botanical description below,which accurately describes the colors of the new Grapevine.

FIG. 1 shows leaves, stems and grapes of ‘ARRAFIFTEEN’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors is the R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society. The description is based onthe observation of plants growing on ‘Thompson Seedless’ rootstockoutdoors near San Joaquin Valley of Central California, U.S.A.

-   Vine:    -   -   Vigor.—Very strong and fertile. Canes are thick and long.        -   Productive capacity.—Crop reaches 25-30 ton per hectare.        -   Trunk.—Strong and well developed. Trunk ranges from 2″-2⅜″.            Trunk surface if roughly textured with a fibrous, shaggy            exterior. Color of the trunk is greyed-orange (166-C).-   Time of bud burst:    -   -   Medium.—Date of bud burst in specified location of culture            is Mar. 15, 2011 in Arvin, Calif.-   Young shoot:    -   -   Openness of tip.—half open.        -   Prostrate hairs on tip.—sparse.        -   Anthocyanin coloration of prostrate hairs on tip.—weak.        -   Erect hairs on tip.—sparse.        -   Color.—yellow-green (151-B).-   Young leaf:    -   -   Color of upper side of blade.—yellow green; top (144-A);            bottom (yellow green 146-B).        -   Prostrate hairs between main veins on lower side of            blade.—sparse.        -   Erect hairs on main veins on lower side of blade.—sparse.-   Shoot:    -   -   Attitude (before tying).—semi-erect.        -   Color of dorsal side of internodes.—yellow-green (151-A).        -   Color of ventral side of internodes.—yellow-green (151-C).        -   Color of dorsal side of nodes.—yellow-green (151-A).        -   Color of ventral side of nodes.—yellow-green (151-C).        -   Erect hairs on internodes.—sparse.        -   Length of tendrils.—4 tendrils 10.5 cm, 8 cm, 6 cm and 6.5            cm.        -   Color of tendrils.—yellow green 144-A.-   Flower:    -   -   Sexual organs.—fully developed stamens and reduced            gynoecium.-   Mature leaf:    -   -   Size of blade.—large (3.5×5 inches).        -   Shape of blade.—pentagonal.        -   Blistering of upper side of blade.—medium.        -   Number of lobes.—five.        -   Depth of upper lateral sinuses.—shallow.-   Only varieties with lobed leaves: mixture of both sides straight and    both sides convex.    -   -   Arrangement of lobes of upper lateral sinuses.—closed.        -   Arrangement of lobes of petiole sinus.—half open.        -   Length of teeth.—short.        -   Ratio length/width of teeth.—small.        -   Shape of teeth.—mixture of both sides straight and both            sides convex.        -   Proportion of main veins on upper side of blade with            anthocyanin coloration.—low.        -   Prostrate hairs between main veins on lower side of            blade.—sparse.        -   Erect hairs on main veins on lower side of blade.—sparse.        -   Length of petiole equal compared to length of middle            vein.—moderately shorter.        -   Top side color.—yellow-green (147-B).        -   Bottom side color.—yellow-green (147-C).        -   Texture.—smooth.        -   Petiole color.—yellow-green (145-A).        -   Petiole strips color.—grayed-red (178-B).        -   Petiole length.—10 cm.        -   Vein color.—yellow-green (151-A).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Color.—green (143-A)).        -   Size.—1.2 mm.-   Time of beginning of ripening: Medium, mid-July Arvin, Calif.    season.-   Bunch:    -   -   Size (peduncle excluded).—length: 7″, width: 5″; and shape:            winged, double cluster.        -   Density.—medium, densely distributed berries, pedicels not            visible, berries movable.        -   Length of peduncle primary bunch.—5 cm.        -   Average bunch weight.—908 g.-   Berry:    -   -   Size.—22.2 mm.        -   Weight.—16 g per berry.        -   Shape.—obloid.        -   Color of skin (without bloom).—yellow-green (145-B).        -   Ease of detachment from pedicel.—difficult.        -   Thickness of skin.—medium.        -   Anthocyanin coloration of flesh.—absent or very weak.        -   Firmness and color of flesh.—moderately firm, yellow-green            (145-B).        -   Particular flavor.—none.        -   Formation of seeds.—rudimentary.        -   Berries per bunch.—60 berries.        -   Market use of the observed plant.—fresh market.-   Woody shoot:    -   -   Main color.—yellowish brown (grayed orange 161-B; grayed            orange 165-A).-   DNA profile: To further the characterize the new Arra variety DNA    was extracted from dried leaf samples and DNA profiles were obtained    in Spain, using base pairs for 14 standard microsatellite DNA    markers. The data is presented hereafter.

Microsatellite Marker DNA Allele Sizes in Base Pairs MSV01 145 152 MSV02228 238 MSV04 179 193 MSV06 246 254 MSV07 322 322 MSV08 248 258 MSV09241 251 MSV10 211 211 MSV12 236 246 MSV13 166 168 MSV14 163 180 MSV15291 291 MSV16 182 190 MSV17 159 161

-   The ARRAFIFTEEN variety has not been observed under all possible    environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that    the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in light    intensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmental    conditions.

1. A new and distinct variety of grapevine, botanically known as Vitisvinifera, identified as ‘ARRAFIFTEEN’, substantially as shown anddescribed herein.